Landlord Responsibilities: The Fundamentals
What are the responsibilities of the landlord? Or responsibility, at that? Well, to summarise in one sentence, it means to provide a habitable unit for the one renting. By “habitable”, meaning a place that is suitable or good enough to live in, covering the basic amenities and so on.
A safe, secure and clean environment
Comply with the local and state health, safety, and building regulations. No tenant wants to live in a building with crumbling walls and rafters and broken windows. Check your property and if it is not in a good condition, fix it up and then regularly maintain the condition of the property. Make sure that the doors and windows are secured appropriately and have working locks. Get a deadbolt lock for the front door.
Respond promptly to repairs
Promptly respond to repair requests if the tenant reports broken furniture and the like. Also, make certain that there are no duplicates of the key.
If there is a problem with rodents, roaches or any other pests, either you rid of the problem personally or hire a professional exterminator to do so.
Provide the standard amenities and inspect the property
As a landlord, your unit should have primary amenities such as electricity and hot and cold water. You should inspect the property on a regular basis to make sure that they are in good condition before and after a tenant leaves.
Screen the tenants
One of the most important measures you can take as a successful landlord is to implement a rigorous and consistent screening process. Conducting a tenant screening can assist to reduce some of the hazards that come with being a landlord, such as late or non-payment, eviction, and property damage. Ensure that the tenant have stable monthly income and have no history of criminal records.
If evicting a tenant, follow the law
One can’t simply magically snap fingers and make the tenant disappear along with the problems. You still need to follow the legal process. There are several steps to evicting a tenant. But before that, make sure you know the fundamentals of it.
A brief overview below:
First, make sure and check that you have a tenancy agreement.
Then, pinpoint the reason of why you would want to evict the tenant. Is it because of unpaid utility bills? Late rental payments? Approach your tenant and talk with them before you proceed with the eviction notice.
You have taken action and sent the eviction notice. It should detail the reasons for evicting and be within reason.
If the tenant is still uncooperative, file an eviction order to claim the outstanding payments and charges though it will take 3 to 6 months for processing by the Sessions Court.
For a more in-depth look of being a landlord, check out our landlord guide.
